The metal forges and the glass furnaces used by the artists use renewable landfill gas from a near-by closed landfill to power them. All the artists at the festival will enjoy helping children to create their own works of art.

One of the highlights of the one-day festival is the Green Energy Park ‘Trash Dragon,’ a gargantuan costume created and built by local artists totally out of trash. Timm Muth, Director of the Green Energy Park, said, “it’s fun and educational when children can see something beautiful being created out of stuff that people throw away.”

The Jackson County Green Energy Park (JCGEP) utilizes clean, renewable energy resources to encourage economic development, provide environmental protection, and offer educational opportunities that together will help lead towards a more sustainable future for Western North Carolina. Located in Dillsboro, NC, JCGEP captures methane gas from the old town landfill, then uses the gas as fuel for a series of artisan studios.